Breathless Behaviour

11

I've spent enough time around Elliot to know he wouldn't ever hurt a person no matter what they said or how much they provoked him. He was calm and rational, he wasn't naive or stupid but Peter's daughter wasn't like the people he was used to dealing with, with the girls that would flirt with him but it didn't matter because he wouldn't hurt her but she would hurt him.

"No he hasn't. He-"

"I don't understand," she cuts me off. "If he's done nothing to her, what's the issue-"

"Your grandson seems infatuated by her," I lay it out for her.

Camilla goes still at my words, looking behind me, to where I know they still sit, talking about who knows what, too close together. "I think you're mistaken sir. My grandson is not in love with her."

"He's not?" I may not know how love feels like but the look he gave her said something more, showed more.

Elliot's grandmother shakes her head. "I don't know if you're aware or not but since she came here, no one but Elliot has talked to her. All he's doing is extending a hand, being a friend," she replies calmly.

Something in the pit of my stomach doesn't like her words, what she just said about her but why should I care? She wasn't here to make friends- as if she'd remember them once she left- she wasn't here to fit in but to face the consequences of her actions.

"He's giving her flowers," I point out the obvious.

Flowers had meaning, showed sentiments.

She looks back out, lips pressing down firmly. "He's not in love with her."

I let out a breath, not believing her completely. She might have known him for all his life but... "I hope you're right Camilla. That Elliot is just being friendly because in a few weeks-" Fourteen more weeks to be exact- "She'll leave to where she belongs, back to the city. She will continue her life as if nothing had happened and won't think twice about anything here. I hope it's nothing more than that because I care for him, he's a great boy and he most definitely does not need or deserve to get his hopes up for someone who doesn't care."

Girls like her didn't care. They were selfish and self centered.

She was wild, untamed, spontaneous- as Peter had said- and Elliot wouldn't know how to handle her either.

She wasn't for him.

If Camilla was right, there was no need to worry but if she wasn't? She would take whatever she could, use him, lead him, then dump him and forget him the moment she left and all while Elliot thought about her, yearned for her, miles away and not on the same page.

She'd break his heart.

At my words, she looks away from me, words tight. "I appreciate your concern but it's not needed. He is not in love with her and even if he were, he is old enough to make his decisions. If he wants to get his heart broken, then he's allowed to do so. I cannot go and tell him who he should or shouldn't talk to."

She had a point, Elliot wasn't that teenager who used to follow me almost all day years ago. He was an adult- barely- he could choose what to do or not to do but this? Her and him? "Tell him to stay away from her. It's an order." One I hadn't wanted to use but he didn't deserve to get his hopes up, to get a heart broken by a city girl that just wanted some fun.